Fisheries research officials with the Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government release young shrimps in the sea off Dokto. (Photos: Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial govt.)

The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified its position on the map of the Olympic torch relay indicating that Dokdo was marked as Japanese territory on the Tokyo Olympic website on June 8.

“Currently, we are not considering a boycott of the upcoming Tokyo Olympics due to this marking issue,” it said in a statement.

“Dokdo is historically, geographically and internationally territory of the Republic of Korea.” The announcement was made amid a growing call in Korea for a boycott of the Tokyo Olympics.

Earlier, a petition was made with the title “If the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee enforces the marking of Dokdo as a Japanese island, the Korean government must declare its boycott of the Tokyo Olympics” on the public petition bulletin board of the Cheong Wa Dae (the White House of Korea), on May 27.

As of June 8, over 63,000 Korean people expressed their support for the petition. In addition, Korea Social Opinion Institute (KSOI) conducted a survey of 1,009 Korean people aged 18 or older nationwide on June 5 to 6 at the request of a Korean broadcasting company.

The results of the survey said that 67.6 percent of the respondents said they were in favor of a boycott of the Tokyo Olympics and 56 percent said that they strongly supported the boycott and 17.0 percent said they were generally in favor of the boycott.

“The Japanese government should reprint the map after correcting it,” a Korean citizen said.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly protested the matter by telling it to the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on June 1 and delivered a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), asking for its active arbitration.

Prior to this statement, the Korean government strongly protested the Japanese government’s repeated inclusion of futile sovereignty claims over Dokdo, which is clearly an integral part of the Korean territory historically, geographically and under international law, in its Diplomatic Bluebook released on April 27.

The Korean government sternly urged the Japanese government to immediately withdraw such claims.

It also made it clear once again that it will respond firmly to any provocations over Dokdo by the Japanese government.

A view of Dokdo shrimps.

In a related development, the Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial governmentreleased 200,000 Dokdo shrimps into the waters off Ulleung Island, the island most adjacent to Dokdo, on June 3.

In terms of Korea’s administration, Ulleung Island and Dokdo belong to North Gyeongsang Province.

In addition to increasing the income of fishermen in Ulleung Island waters, this action was taken to respond to Japan’s continued provocations on Dokdo, said the Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government.

The Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government also released 100,000 Dokdo shrimps in the waters near Wangdolcho in Uljin earlier this year. Japan’s sensitive reaction to Dokdo shrimp began at a November 2017 Korea-US summit.

At a Blue House luncheon attended by Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, Dokdo shrimp was brought up as a main dish and Japan took issue with it.

At that time, Japanese media outlets did not hide their discomfort, saying, “The luncheon served as a venue to promote Korea’s claim on Dokdo.”

Dokdo shrimp refers to pandalus hypsinotus, lebbeus groenlandicus and pandalopsis japonica. This time, the Office of North Gyeongsang Province released 200,000 young pandalus hypsinotus shrimps characterized by white spots like peach blossoms on their heads.

“Through the release of Dokdo shrimps to waters off Ulleung Island and Dokdo, we have created a high-value-added income source preferred by fishermen,” said Governor Lee Cheol-woo of the Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government.

“At the same time, we have publicized the fact that Dokdo belongs to Korea by highlighting the symbolism of Dokdo shrimps. We will not stop this kind of activities for Dokdo.”